CalendarAdvertiseDistributionArchiveShopAboutContact
Close
Best of Erie 2019
News & Politics
Events
Music
Arts & Culture
Opinion
Food & Drink
Issues Archive
Web Only
Events Calendar
Advertise
More
Business
Community
Environment
Erie at Large
Features
Film
From the Editors
Jen Sorensen Cartoons
Just Toyin' Witcha
Music Reviews
Sports
Theater
Distribution Locations
About Us
Contact Us
Shop
Issue Archives
Internship Opportunities
Write for Us
Local Voices
Share:
BloggERy

ACLU Defends OccupyErie

ACLU represents OccupyErie, city apparently agrees to tents

by Jay Stevens
View ProfileFacebookTwitterGoogle+RSS Feed
October 27, 2011 at 11:41 PM

UPDATE 10/28/11: Apparently the city has not acceded to tents on the grassy area of Perry Square. Still awaiting comment from city officials.

In an interesting twist in the standoff between the city of Erie and OccupyErie protesters over the group's right to sleep in Perry Square and to hang tarps on the park's gazebo, the ACLU has stepped forward to represent OccupyErie, and the city has seemed to agree to allow protesters to erect and sleep in tents in the park's grassy area.

The ACLU sent a letter to the mayor's office today. The letter, which OccupyErie posted online (pdf), asked the city to permit protesters to sleep in the park overnight. From the letter:

We represent Occupy Erie, which has been holding a demonstration to bring attention to income inequality in Perry Square West, since October 15.  As part of the demonstration, a small number of people have been sleeping in the park.  On October 24, however, Erie Department of Public Works employee David Rocco informed the demonstrators that they would no longer be permitted to sleep in the park or to use tarps to stay warm. We are writing to ask you to allow the demonstrators to continue sleeping in the park overnight and to use sleeping bags, blankets, cushions, and tarps to staywarm given the cold nighttime temperatures.

The letter went on to describe the Occupy movement, and the cities where protesters and municipal officials came to an agreement about protesters' encampments. The ACLU has also offered OccupyErie legal representation. A representative from the organization is scheduled to meet with protesters next week.

According to protesters in Perry Square, a city police officer tonight approached the group and relayed permission from the city administration to set up and sleep in tents on the "grassy area" of Perry Square.  Tarps on the gazebo, apparently, are still prohibited.

Confirmation from the Erie city administration is still pending.

At the time of this report, there are no tents up at Perry Square.

Featured Events

Today Tomorrow This Weekend

Suffragette Exhibit

Visual Arts
Dec. 6th

15 Year Retrospective of Chimera

Visual Arts
Dec. 6th

Ember + Forge Two Year Party

Food & Drink
Dec. 6th, 4 PM to 10 PM

Ensiferum, Kalmah, Abigail Williams, and Aenimus

Music
Dec. 6th, 5:30 PM to 11:30 PM

Marsha Marsh Roundball Classic

Sports
Dec. 6th, 6 PM to 9 PM

Submit Your Event   View Calendar

We List You a Merry Christmas
Erie Reader: Vol. 9, No. 25
View Past Issues
In This Issue

Popular This Week

Who the Heck is Teddy Rankin?

Erie's 40 Under 40: Class of 2019

Tom Segura Talks Dirty

Best of Erie Voting NOW OPEN

A Look at Airbnb in Erie

Related Articles

Tiger Maple String Band is spending St. Patrick's at Sprague's

by Ryan Smith3/17/2017, 5:04 AM
DD ... check. Go get some of your Patty's on at Sprague Farm and Brew Works!

Looking for a scary good time?

by Ryan Smith10/31/2016, 12:42 PM
Get your Halloween Night fright on at Ghost Lake.

Shining on the last night of Night Lights

by Ryan Smith8/27/2016, 12:00 PM
A quick Q-and-A with one of the festival's mainstay favorites: Aqueous

Shining (even more) on Night Lights Music Festival

by Ryan Smith8/26/2016, 3:04 PM
A quick Q-and-A with one of the festival's amazing performers: Tyler Smilo of Daybreak Radio

Shining (some more) on Night Lights Music Festival

by Ryan Smith8/25/2016, 5:06 PM
A quick Q-and-A with one of the festival's amazing bands: GNOSiS

Shining on Night Lights Music Festival

by Ryan Smith8/24/2016, 5:44 AM
A quick Q-and-A with one of the festival's chief founders, organizers, and musicians: Scott Molloy
© 2019 Great Lakes Online Media
1001 State Street  //  Erie, PA 16501
Terms of Use Privacy Policy